saccharimeter tubes
Date1860-1880
Inventory Number1997-1-2029
ClassificationPolarimeter
Subject
Maker
Louis Jules Duboscq
French, 1817 - 1886
Seller
J.S. Cheyney Optical Company, Ltd
fl. 1880 - 1900
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionscase: 6.4 x 27.5 x 18 cm (2 9/16 x 10 15/16 x 6 1/2 in.)
Material
DescriptionThere are four brass tubes in the box, all with screw cap lenses that appear to be made of glass. Only one of them fits snugly into the casings of the box. This is the only one with the signatures. The box is stamped with the old Harvard number "9 185".
The other three are about 5 cm shorter. Two of these three have flared ends which can be unscrewed. There appears to be a kind of white residue inside them. There is also an additional piece of optics, which looks like it could fit into the non-flared tubes. It gives a double image and is probably a Nicol prism. The tubes with flared ends seem to fit well into the Duboscq saccharimeter with inv. number 1997-1-0874a,b,c.
The other three are about 5 cm shorter. Two of these three have flared ends which can be unscrewed. There appears to be a kind of white residue inside them. There is also an additional piece of optics, which looks like it could fit into the non-flared tubes. It gives a double image and is probably a Nicol prism. The tubes with flared ends seem to fit well into the Duboscq saccharimeter with inv. number 1997-1-0874a,b,c.
Signedon one tube, left side: J. S. Cheyney / New York
on same tube, right side: J. Duboscq / à Paris
Curatorial RemarksFor a complete example of a Duboscq saccharimeter, see 1993-1-0002.
FunctionThese tubes went into a saccharimeter. They would hold a sugar solution or other liquid substance. A tube would be placed in between a polarizing and analyzing crystal of the instrument. The polarizing effect of the liquid would be determined by rotating the polarizer to compensate for the action of the substance. This was used to determine the density and purity of sugar solutions and liquids in general.
Louis Jules Duboscq
Date: circa 1875
Object number: 1997-1-1477a
Hermann & Pfister
Date: circa 1872
Accessories: pine box; instruction manual; glass tubes (2); open-ended tube; gas lamp (DW0854b)
Object number: DW0854a
See also/See also
